Thinking about wearing glasses on your wedding day but not sure, or lacking a little confidence? Then this article, originally published in 2013, is still as relevant and excellent an advice piece today.
I’ve worn glasses since I was six years old. I have vivid memories of being too petrified to don my goofy ‘would have made Dame Edna proud’ pink NHS specs in the classroom and my teacher telling me off for not wearing them! No emotional scarring there then, honest. I then went through a phase of loathing my specs through my teenage years and wearing contact lenses pretty much all of the time. I think it was probably the fact that I was so shortsighted (-8.5 dioptres in my right eye and -10 in my left – the discrepancy between each eye representing astigmatism).
Being so short-sighted meant that for years, my glasses closely resembled a pair of jam jars. Yep, even as little as 4 years ago, when I got married, the actual lenses were so ridiculously thick and looked unsightly. But thanks to advances in technology since then, whilst I still have to pay extra to have my lenses ‘thinned’, I can now get a pair of spectacles that looks, well, really quite normal – certainly less like I have two magnifying glasses perched on the end of my nose.
In fact, I absolutely adore my latest pair of specs – they feature a leapard print on cat’s eye style lenses – Karen Millen, just incase you were wondering (they really weren’t that expensive either).
I love how wearing glasses these days gives me a new sense of confidence. Besides which, they’re a pretty stylish accessory. I like to have fun playing about with my hair and makeup in a different kinda way when I’ve got my specs on. Kind of makes me feel a little bit ‘sexy secretary’ at times too. That can’t be bad, can it? (prrrrrrr!).
Put it like this, I can completely see why some brides choose to wear glasses on their wedding day. And I mean, why shouldn’t they? Especially if that’s what they usually do anyway and wearing glasses is part of their identity. And if that’s the case, it shouldn’t even be something you’d think twice about. Wearing glasses is such a natural thing for so many of us, that it can actually have that ‘I feel slightly naked!’ effect when you take them off in public. Not an experience I’d imagine any bride wanting to go through on their big day.
Let’s not forget those brides either for whom wearing glasses simply isn’t an option but a necessity, perhaps due to a medical condition.
I truly love seeing a bride in glasses, there’s something that makes me smile about it every time. It somehow tells me that that person was/is truly comfortable in their own skin – completely at one with just being them and feeling good about that on their wedding day. Aren’t all the best photographs where the subject is completely at ease after-all?
I’ve been meaning to initiate some discussion on the idea of whether or not to wear glasses on your wedding day for some time now and I’m
really keen to know what our readers think, plan to do, or have already done – and why.
I’m on a mission to confirm that wearing glasses on your wedding day is a totally cool thing to do and should not be something you ought worry yourself about in advance of your nuptials. But, seeing a bride in her spectacles is definitely a bit of a rarity. I might even hazard a guess that some brides who usually do wear glasses opt not to on their wedding day for fear they might ruin the ‘overall look’ or not look ‘weddingy’ enough in their photographs.
We know how the media like to make us feel inadequate at times don’t we by bombarding us with images portraying the perfect bridal look. One can easily imagine how this might leave those who usually wear glasses feeling a little worried; will the glasses make me look bad on my wedding photos? Will they go with my veil? Will they work with the dress? Will the flash of the camera cause glare against my lenses? Is it worth hiring a professional makeup artist if I’m wearing glasses, etc etc etc.
To those mulling over these and other concerns, I say LOOK AT THESE PHOTOGRAPHS. Most of the images featured on this page are from real weddings that have already been blogged on Love My Dress and personally, I think they look ruddy fabulous. Let me just clarify that for the record though – that means they look chic, sophisticated, completely at ease, happy, attractive, themselves, gorgeous and completely and utterly in love – that being quite an important point. You see, it’s not the glasses at all that creates the focal point in these images, it’s the love and closeness – that special bond between the couple themselves that has been so naturally and expertly captured on camera by the photographer.
So, to wear glasses, or not to wear glasses on your wedding day?
Well, I’m a huge advocate and so I set about exploring this issue in a little more detail…
Wear Glasses That Make You Feel At Ease
If that means your regular glasses – bravo! If the style of your regular specs is something that bothers you in terms of whether they will work with the rest of your wedding day wardrobe, why not consider treating yourself to a new pair and maybe keeping them after the wedding for nights out or special occasions? The Bridal Eyewear website have a beautiful selection of stylish frames that won’t break the bank.
Bridal Eyewear founder and qualified dispensing optician Karen Louise says in her mission statement that through Bridal Eyewear, she aims “To make brides and their wedding party proud of wearing spectacles and recognising them as more than a means of correcting their vision, by supplying spectacles that are face jewellery and become timeless.”
Don’t be Afraid to Experiment with Professional Makeup & False Lashes Under Your Glasses
I’m a huge fan of faux lashes, but I’m so rubbish at applying them myself, and as a glasses wearer, I know that many fake lashes come too long to wear with my glasses – they tend to tickle my glasses, and that irritates me and kind of splits and separates the lashes, pushing them one way or the other against the lens of my specs.
But I do absolutely love making my eyes a feature with good makeup and wearing glasses has never stopped me. My suggestion for any bride planning on wearing specs on her wedding day is to treat herself to a set of semi-permanent lashes or professional eye lashes. It’s not as ‘Frankenstein’ as it might sound.
I’ve been having my lashes applied on a semi-permanent basis for probably about two years now and have been all over to get this done – my local salon, specialist mobile technicians, up and down the country. But the very best experience I’ve had by far, and one that I now have on a regular basis, is with Boudoir Lashes.
Boudoir Lashes is run by Asma Docrat who, whilst offering other beauty services, specialises in professional lash application. I’ll be blogging about my experience at Boudoir Lashes separately quite soon, but let’s just say that Asma is like some kind of magic lash fairy who really knows her stuff.
The overall process takes about an hour and a half to two hours (its great! Asma lets you nod off while she’s doing her thing – she has music and scent and everything to put you completely at ease), and admittedly, they’re not cheap at £150 a go, but in my books, they are a seriously wise investment for your wedding day and one I really very much highly recommend. A trained technician like Asma will apply a length of lash that will work perfectly with your glasses – preventing that ‘tickle and split’ irritation I mentioned earlier (I know, that sounds a bit rude, sorry). And getting your lashes applied professionally prior to tying the knot means you’ll wake up looking like Brigitte Bardot on your wedding day. What’s there to complain about?
I do realise however that the prospect of spending £150 on lashes in advance of your wedding day might seem ludicrous to those on a smaller budget, and if that’s the case, I’d still recommend that you seek a consultation with a professional makeup artist who will be able to apply fake lashes for you on the morning of your wedding and also create a beautiful eye-makeup look. It will still set you back some – BUT – it will include a full professional makeover and fake lash application (as a guide price, expect to pay anything between around £150 and £350 for professional makeup on your wedding day). I’m a huge advocate of employing a professional makeup artist – I’ve seen for myself the amazing results working with someone who knows what they are doing with makeup can have. It’s quite breathtaking.
Having someone apply a flawless makeup look is one of those little treats I think all brides ought consider for their weddings – great makeup looks great on wedding photographs and that’s a fact. Great, professionally applied makeup should not only enhance your best features, it should also last most of your wedding day, requiring only the lightest of touch-ups.
I’ve worked with many brilliant professional make-up artists over the past 3 years, here are some I recommend (in no particular order) who I know accept bookings all over the UK; Kristina Gasperas, Kylie McMichael, Ana Ospina, Kaz Fernando, Make-up by Katy and Caroleanne Armstrong.
What To Consider
My research in to brides who wear glasses led me to jot down a few things I wanted to share with you – a little check list if you please;
- If you’re concerned in any way about looking your best on your wedding photographs when wearing your glasses – talk to your wedding photographer! They will be able to put you at ease and should also offer you the opportunity of some pre-wedding practice type shots. If they do offer this opportunity, TAKE IT! The experience will help put you at ease in front of the camera meaning you feel more confident and natural being photographed on your wedding day. Put your mind at ease about those ‘awkward shots’ on your wedding day!
- If you plan on wearing a veil that will sit around your face – make sure the delicate fabric won’t snag or catch on the edge of your glasses.
- It might be worth while talking to your optician about an anti-reflective coating on your lens – this may help to enhance your eyes rather than the lenses in the wedding photographs
- Consider how your glasses will work with any other jewellery and accessories you’d like to wear. Less is more I say.
- Have you any other advice you’d like to share with our readers about wearing glasses on your wedding day?
Wear Glasses on your Wedding Day With Confidence
Dorothy Parker, I want to prove you wrong today. I’d like to kick start a trend for putting the sexy back in to wearing glasses on your wedding day – as demonstrated by the brides you see on this page here today. Men do and will always make passes at women in glasses. What say you readers?
Are you planning on wearing glasses on your wedding day? And if so will you be wearing your usual pair, or treating yourself to something new? Or are you going to show off your peepers a little more by wearing some contact lenses for your nuptials?
And for those of us marrieds, did you wear glasses on your wedding day? Have you any thoughts/comments or feedback for our readers? Would you like to link to any other images of brides wearing glasses on their wedding day? Feel free to do so in the comments section below!
Never afraid to explore all manner of body image issues here on Love My Dress, you can read other similar features that examine everything from having your teeth realigned to weight and size issues here.
Annabel View all Annabel's articles
Founder of Love My Dress. Passionate Podcaster and Editor. Annabel lives in rural North Yorkshire with her husband and business partner Philip, their two daughters and menagerie of furry hounds. She loves photography, meditation, walking, being outdoors and star gazing. She is fierce when it comes to championing talent within the wedding industry and when she's not working on Love My Dress, she supports her husband Philip in the running of the family's sustainable flower farm and floral design business, Moonwind Flowers. In 2013, she became a published author.
Thank you so much for this post!
I have been wearing glasses since I was 11 and 14 years on I really enjoy wearing them, however since the boy proposed last year its something i have been worrying about! Will I look like a bride? Do I need a make up artist? these questions have kept me up at night.
I worked in a hotel for 5 years and not once do I remember seeing a bride wearing glasses. I have already purchased my dress and I think it goes with my glasses and the future hubby has kindly said I can have a pair of ‘wedding’ Glasses in the budget as he thinks i look like ‘ a blind mouse’ without my glasses! and that they are part of me ( bless him full of compliments!
I was so suprised how many wedding syuppliers suggested I wear contacts ( i cant get on with them), atleast 4 dress shops suggested it. It really knocks your confidence and those little niggling doubts start to creep in.
Thank you for all the advice, I have added it to questions to ask my photographer list and will definitely be looking at the bridal eye wear website today.
Thanks agan, i know its something not all brides have to worry about and may seem silly to others but you have made my morning 🙂
Hi Annabel,
I am getting married in October and I definitely plan to wear my glasses> I have worn them since I had to stop wearing contacts 12 years ago and is how everyone knows me so seems strange to me to suddenly not wear them on my wedding day. I do plan to get a lovely new pair, any excuse for some new accessories! Its lovely to see a bride with flowers in her hair as well as that is what I am planning and was worried about it being too much but I think she looks fab so I am definitely going for it!!
Rowan x
Hi Rowan, now that’s one wedding I’d very much looking forward to featuring (as I am your wedding dresses very soon!).
You sound so comfortable with your style – that’s exactly the type of reassurance I want to be able to offer other readers through this post, so thank you so much 🙂
xXx
Hi Amy!
Thanks so much for your comment.
A blind mouse without your glasses eh! Hehehe! A most endearing term I hope! 😉
You wear your glasses with pride lady. And send some photographs this way once you are newlywed, I’d really love to see.
Happy to have made your morning 🙂
xXx
YEAH!!!! I CANNOT WAIT to photograph Rowan’s wedding-o-rama in October! Love a Bride rocking her glasses on her wedding day. Great article Annabel XX
Hi Annabel,
Aw thanks, there will be specs galore at my wedding as my other half is a glasses wearer too. Its a great topic for a post, Ive had 2 of my recent brides tell me they were trying out contact lenses for the first time for their weddings which I just think is such a shame if thats not what they would normally wear. I know I just want to look like myself and would probably lose a contact somewhere along the way, or get something in my eye….
Thanks for featuring my dresses, cant wait to see it.
xx
I’ve worn glasses since I was 13 and for the past few years I’ve always thought I’d wear glasses on my wedding day. But then looking at photos of myself sometimes my glasses cast a shadow on my face which I do not like. I know it’s such a silly thing and I’m sure my photographer will work their magic and it won’t be a problem.
I did think I’d just get a lighter frame instead of my thick rimmed glasses but now we’re running out of wedding budget and I’m not sure if we can afford this.
I did try on some lovely 50’s frames at the weekend but my head is so massive my favourite ones didn’t fit my massive face.
I don’t know, I think I will end up finding some budget for new specs. But I wish I wasn’t stressing over this!
I never even contemplated not wearing my glasses. I’ve been wearing glasses since I was two year old, so well over 30 years when I got married last year. If I have photos taken without glasses (passport photos anyone?), I don’t even like my face. My glasses belong to me, they feel and look right.
I didn’t go for new glasses for the wedding, I like my glasses and that felt to me like an unnecessary expense as with my prescription new glasses are rather expensive.
Luckily, no one ever suggested I wear contacts.
And I think the photo below is just so me and I am thrilled to have this portrait of me on my wedding day:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/109836690548863361404/posts/SKWpmB4MEkX
You. Look. FABULOUS!!!!!!!
Send me your wedding, send me your wedding, SEND ME YOUR WEDDING!!!
You get all the best jobs you 😉 X
Oh, OK! I have just sent you an email with a link to our photos. x
I’m wearing vintage 50s glasses on my wedding day! My fiancé wouldn’t have it any other way 🙂 he loves me with glasses!
I feel so relieved after reading this post. Honestly, I’ve never thought that I could wear glasses on my wedding and being pretty at the same time. Thanks to you, now it’s not a problem anymore!
Thank you for this post, it had completely changed my mind about wearing my glasses next year. These brides look amazing in their glasses.
I’m going to send this to my husband to be – he wears glasses and is worried about wearing them on our wedding day. He is contemplating getting contacts just for the day but I love a man in glasses and keep telling him that I want him to wear them!
Do it! My husband got some new glasses recently, they make him look HOT!!! (and extra clever 😉 x)
Men in specs are sexy. Your husband needs to work those specs with pride. Seriously!
Then my work here is done Carla XXX
Oh wow Annabel! You don’t understand how much I TRULY LOVE this post! First of all, thank you ever so much for the mention. Second of all: I’ve worn glasses since I was 13, like most other teens/ children, I was mocked for wearing them. Four eyes, everything else that comes with it. I didn’t particularly care, I had braces and was short too!- If anything the glasses just completed the package!
I’m lucky enough to only have to wear them for computer and detailed make up work and if I were to drive. I’ve been lucky enough to have three brides, past and present that haven’t given in to contacts/ media pressure of what is/ isn’t beautiful and have wanted/ needed to wear their glasses on their wedding day. I love the different kind of creative challenges and decisions this presents to us. I ask the usual, would you like lashes? One has decided against it, the lashes just were not for her, the other is keen to try them- FAB!
Like you’ve mentioned, glasses are a part of who you are, they’re part of your personality. Compliment your personality with a fabulous pair to suit YOUR STYLE. Let the glasses be a part of your wedding look. They’re sexy, hint at intelligence and they’re quirky. Like the readers above, most of my family now wear glasses, as does my partner, I may be the only person in our wedding photos to not be wearing a pair!
Hi Amy,
I love that your wedding budget involves ‘wedding glasses’, I think Ray Ban does some beautiful ivory pearlescent versions of the wayfarer now. If you would like any advice regarding your wedding make up give me a bell. Bring your gorgeous spectacles and we’ll have a coffee ;)xxx
Just looked at this again and my computer missed out a hole load of the bottom of the article. It reminded me of my friends wedding make up. She just had false lashes applied to the outside of her eyes by her make up artist. It was so simple and such a small thing but it made a big difference. Being on the side of the eye meant that they don’t tickle the lens. Something I will be considering for sure.
I’ve worn specs since I was 5 but I’m long sighted so although I need them for work I don’t often wear them around and about or in my free time (except for things like the cinema) so it would never have occurred to me to wear them for W day, but similarly if I did have to wear them all the time, of course I’d have worn them got the wedding – brides in specs look awesome. LOVE your new frames!
I’m getting married at the nd of September this 2013 and this is a dilemma I’m surrently going over in my head! At the moment, I’m planning on wearing contact lenses for the ceremony (I hate wearing them and rarely do!) and swapping to glasses for the reception. If I was wearing a 1950s style dress I’d definitely keep the glasses on throughout. But I’m going for art deco/20s/30s, so I’m not convinced glasses will go!?
Also – I’m worried that, if I wear contact lenses and decide to wear false lashes, the lash-glue will effect my contact lenses (or worse, stick my contact lenses to my lashes!). Is this a stupid fear?! Has anyone worn contacts *and* false lashes?
I am one very lucky photographer I can tell you that 😉 xx
I’m another bride who will definitely be wearing my glasses on my wedding day- I’ve worn glasses since I was 2 years old and have never worn contacts, so to go without my glasses wouldn’t feel like me at all- they are a big part of who I am and I’d hate to look back at my wedding photos and not recognise myself! Saying that, I have been a little bit worried about it- mainly because I didn’t want to look too ‘fussy’, with glasses, jewellery, veil if I have one, etc but my photographer has reassured me they won’t glare on the photos, my make up lady and hair lady didn’t seem phased at all and I’m also now looking into having a few extra lashes applied before the day, rather than going with false eyelashes because of the very reasons you outlined!
If people who wear glasses want to swap to contact for the day, then that’s absolutely fine, especially if they flip between the two options normally, but for me, I think if I didn’t wear them everyone would be wondering who that girl in the white dress was as I arrived in the ceremony room!
Its lovely to see an article on this- its something I’ve been thinking about for a long time but not a topic I’ve ever seen addressed. Thank you 🙂
Hi Cleo,
I just wanted to say that if you really don’t like wearing contacts, I would recommend sticking to your glasses for the ceremony as well.
I had an 30s/40s wedding as well (I’m the first bride in the article – Thanks, Annabel, for the lovely compliment of featuring our pictures in this post!) and never felt that my glasses constituted an anomaly in our wedding theme. After all, unless you go all out and make all your guests wear period costume etc. there are always going to be ‘modern’ elements on the day. I think it is more important that it is ultimately still very much ‘you’, but with a classy and stylish period feel than that every single detail of your look is accurate.
If you usually wear glasses, wedding pictures of you without them may look disappointingly strange and also – in response to your second comment – if you are not used to contacts and you tear up during the ceremony, this might cause some irritation…
Either way, I wish you a wonderful wedding day, with or without glasses 😉
Its his kind of endearing term, bless him he loves me with my glasses, im not a newlywed until next year but thank you for your response and the post 🙂 x
I’ve been wearing glasses since I was 2 and a half (I’m 34 this year!!) but I went “blind” on our Wedding Day……i just couldn’t imagine them adding to my self-imagined “Princess” outfit!!
I don’t think I missed out but my Husband does say that, beautiful as I look in the pictures, I don’t look completely like me!!
If I could go back 11 years, I probably would wear them knowing what I do now, but at the time it seemed like the most logical decision I could make!!
A great post. I’d like to comment from a groom’s point of view on behalf of my husband… not because I speak for him, might I add, just because he doesn’t read blogs but he won’t mind me saying this.
We met 10 years ago and he wore glasses way before then. He has always been quite fashion conscious so thinking about whether to wear his glasses on our wedding day in November 2011 was quite a big deal for him. As he has to wear his glasses permanently, not just for reading, and with him being quite fashion forward, he tends to go for glasses that fit the current trends. At the time of our wedding he was wearing some large chunky looking expensive Paul Smith numbers. He did toy with the idea of getting some new specs for our wedding but in the end he decided not to wear them at all. Not really fitting with the idea behind this post I know but I just wanted to offer an alternative view as some grooms worry about what to wear too!
He thought about photos that you see from the past. You know the ones… 70’s brown suits and black chunky framed glasses. At the time this would’ve been the fashion but now they look so dated and he didn’t want our photographs to be like that. He wanted to avoid thinking “Christ, what were those glasses I was wearing?!” in the future. Yes, his funky glasses look cool now but will they still be fashionable in 20 years time? Our wedding wasn’t 1950s themed where cat’s eye glasses will look fitting in years to come. It was a bonfire night shindig and the only theme in sight (excuse the pun) was ‘us.’ So, contact lenses did the trick for our wedding day. He looks at our photos now and he still comments on how glad he is that he didn’t wear his specs. Yes, elements of our wedding might also go out of fashion (decor etc) but being happy with how you look in your wedding photos is the main thing as the photos of you and your husband in particular are the photos that people will always ask to see.
A great article, I’ve been wearing glasses since I was 4 and I was somewhat perplexed when someone asked me if I would take them off for the wedding – “eh naw!” was the most articulate response I could come up with! I would quite like to see what’s going on and if I didn’t have my glasses on, I wouldn’t look like me!
I do need new ones though and I am trying to keep in mind what type would best go with my outfit.
My little girl is also a glasses wearer (as are all of my family) and when she was a flower girl at her aunt’s wedding earlier this year, they made her take them off – I was a wee bit furious when I was sent some pics! And it’s also caused her to be a wee bit self-conscious about wearing them even though she looks super cute with them on (kids’ glasses are a hell of a lot cooler these days than some of the ones I was lumbered with as a child!) and plus, you know, she needs them!
Laura I think this is a great point you’ve made and I think its certainly a point worth considering. Just to make a slight ‘yes but..’ reply (I hope it doesn’t sound like I’m arguing- I think its just worth considering all areas) someone had mentioned this to me a while ago and I thought about it for a while and then decided that actually, the photos dating was quite nice- I like that photos come from certain eras and that personally, I thought the hairstyles we had and the clothing choices we made would date the photos anyway. Obviously entirely personal choice though and I’m glad your chap was happy with his decision.
Great post! I’ve been wearing glasses since I was about 15. I’ve always liked having different frames for different occasions and seen them as a style ally rather than foe. For my first wedding in 1998, there was no such thing as anti-glare coating on lenses. So, both myself, my ex, my maid of honor, the best man, and my parents presented a challenge for our photographer. There are some pics that have some glare to them, but many years later, there is anti-glare and our group of sight challenged folk (some of the same players…including my ex who is the best man and my fiance also wears specs) are all going to sport our glasses with pride. My groom and me will be getting new frames just for fun and are looking at them as an accessory to our wedding day looks. If we can get new shoes…we can get new glasses too! 🙂
Hi Annabel
Great post! I have worn glasses ever since I was about 7 years old initially for reading and then from my late teens I have worn them full time). They are part of who I am and have always enjoyed the thrill of finding different styles changing them over the years from the old NHS Tortoise shell standard issue when I was a child to the HUGE Anglo-American multi-coloured frames to some ‘Harry Potter esk’ frames when I was a student years ago.
When I got married to my fabulous husband almost 19 years ago I had lots of people ask me if I was planning to wear my glasses on our wedding day as they might ‘spoil the look’ and ‘effect the overall look of my wedding pictures’! I was even talked into going along to a well-known high street opticians for a contact lens trial (even though I have the most sensitive eyes ever and just the mention of the words ‘contact lens’ brings water to my eyes!)
I decided that my husband to be and all my wonderful friends and family knew me with my glasses, expect to see me with my glasses, I love my glasses and anyway…cannot see a right lot without them!!!……so decided..Of course I would wear them!
Val x
So sorry for not replying until now Be , my computer actually died this week and I had to get that replaced, now typing this frim Italy! Please don’t stress about wearing your glasses, I think maybe it would be a good idea to try to buy those second pair of lighter frames if you can, but also take what you are used to wearing with you too, just so you feel comfortable they are there if you need them.
Make this a total non issue, as all you need to be thinking about now, is that you’re shortly to be marrying the love of your life.
Lots of love and luck to you xXx
Yay! :))
Ahh, thanks so much Kylie,
I adore that last paragraph and wish all brides who wear glasses could see it. It’s so positive and passionate and coming from a professional makeup artist even better!
Can’t wait to see you wedding photos. You do realise we’re first in queue to blog them don’t you? :))
xXx
Do it Bex, really, I adore having some lashes, it instantly makes me feel better! Amazing what a few tiny lashes can do!
Thank you Mrs :))
Dear Cleo, please don’t force yourself in to those lenses if you think they may cause you discomfort or irritation.
Will you be working with a professional hair stylist and makeup artist? I personally believe these are 2 professional service suppliers Worth their weight in gold, both of which will be able to run practice looks/trials with you to produce a look like that you’ll be wearing on your wedding day, you can then practice wearing your glasses with your hair in the style you might be after etc.
Please try not to stress over this, relax and enjoy the final few weeks 🙂 xXx
I wear semi permanent (the ones that last for weeks) lashes and contacts! 🙂
Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for writing this post. I have been deliberating for months now about wearing my specs on our wedding day this coming September. I am blind as a bat without them so if I didn’t wear them I would have to look at contacts as an alternative (can’t afford the laser eye surgery just yet!) and I just don’t get on with them. Also, even if I did, I just don’t feel like “me” without my specs on. They’re part of my face and have been for almost 20 years!
I have, however, decided to go out and get a new pair of frames as my current ones are falling apart. I also want to make sure I have the ‘anti-reflective’ coating you mentioned and my current pair also have the thing in them that makes them darken in sunlight which wouldn’t look good for photographs but, after reading your post, I’m so happy to have made the decision to stick with my glasses and feel confident about it.
Thank you again!
Great post! Thanks for writing – I too have been deliberating this for some time now although I’m still a bit unsure… My look will be an Edwardian style Sally Lacock number (Violet) and I’d like to wear a drop-veil, possibly with some sort of headband and am slightly worried that with all the headgear, my glasses will be one step too far. Have you seen pictures of brides in glasses with their veils over their faces?!
I love my glasses and have worn them for over 15 years and my partner wants me to wear them, they look great with just my dress but I don’t have a veil bought yet so can’t think what the full ensemble will be like?!
Thanks!
Great post! We get lots of customers requesting bridal glasses and they normally choose rimless or cream/white frames to match their dress. Diamante or sparkles can be a great addition, too!
Thanks for writing about this issue. I’m totally blind without my glasses and had contacts years ago but hated putting them in. For my wedding I wore my glasses, but removed them for the more formal shots. So, I ended up with some pics with specs and some without. My photog did a great job and there were no glare issues, but I liked knowing there would be some pics without glasses just in case. We’ve ended up framing pics with and without glasses.
I also sprang for professional makeup (though no false eyelashes) and was glad I did it.
I just saw this post through APW and I wish I’d worn my glasses! I’d probably have gone with a simpler dress (the Grecian one I nearly bought) and not the 1920s style sequinned number I ended up in but I would have looked so much more “me” and dark framed glasses are a big part of who I am and what I look like day to day. So I would echo your call for more glasses wearers to wear theirs.
P.S I wore contacts so I could still see, the thought of not being able to see all those faces when that was an option? Impossible. Those faces are of people who mean the world to me.
Saw this via APW, thank you! There has never been a question as to whether I’ll wear glasses on the wedding day next year, but I have been frustrated at the lack of photos and tips specially for those of us brides who are in love with our glasses. It had never occurred to me to wear falsies or to buy a new pair! Now I’m even more excited!
Hello. I can’t tell you how happy seeing this post made me. I work in a bridal salon that specializes in “plus” size brides. We often get brides who have been to other stores where they have been told they are too fat for a wedding dress (grrrrr) or that they can’t wear certain styles. Um, no. We do a lot with body image and making our brides feel beautiful. That tends to be our main focus, but occasionally I have a bride who wears glasses and will ask if she should wear them for her wedding. As a long time glasses wearer myself, I always say yes. Why wouldn’t you. So glad to know that I now have a link to send them to show that brides look spectacular in specs! Thank you!
Just found this post via APW — great sentiments here!! I always knew I’d wear my glasses on my wedding day because they are part of who I am (I have worn them since I was 4) and I don’t wear contacts. Going around blind would not be a good part of any wedding festivities! My only concession was taking a few snaps before the ceremony (we had a first look) without my glasses. I’m glad I have those pics and I’m also really pleased with the rest of our pics where I’m wearing my specs!
Thanks for this great post to encourage women to not be afraid of wearing glasses for their weddings — I’m so glad I did!
Pics from my wedding are here if anyone wants proof. 🙂 http://www.benandcolleen.us/2012/07/31/caroline-and-jasons-wedding-perimeter-church-and-st-ives-country-club/
I’ve been wearing glasses since I was 8 and I needed them long before that! Imagine suddenly realising that people can actually see individual leaves on trees! Haha. Anyways, 5 years ago I felt like I needed to wear contacts with a dress to look pretty, that would have been my prom, today I am kind of sad looking at the pictures that I didn’t wear them. My glasses really compliment my face as I have deep shadows under my eyes and they usually mask that.
I decided a couple years ago when we got engaged that I would budget for new “wedding glasses”, but frustratingly, my favourite eyeglass store pushed and pushed that I should get contacts, even despite a medical condition that makes me basically blind when I wear contacts! They even had a specialist look at my eyes to see if there was anything I could do to correct my condition. Finally, I put my foot down and told them I would be wearing my specs, and not only that but I INSISTED on a nice pair of metal way-farer shaped glasses that are absolutely adorable and geeky (and I even convinced them that they were perfect for a wedding)!
I was going to save them for my wedding but I wear them most days now, oh well! I will be so happy looking back on my wedding photos knowing that I was “myself”, I just don’t feel natural without my glasses!
Thanks for this article! 🙂
Wearing your glasses is such a personal choice. The brides here all look absolutely stunning and whilst I would probably not wear my glasses as I always feel in office mode I think it is great that others feel comfortable wearing them.
Really useful post, thank you.
While I knew I was going to be wearing my glasses on my wedding day (and am in fact that the accent colour I’ve chosen is purple, just like my lovely leafy frames), I hadn’t actually thought about the practical implications of that.
I now know that I’ll need to think about my glasses when choosing a veil, and also what to do with them when I don’t need them. I’m short sighted, so I’ll defintely need them going down the aisle, so I can see my imminent husband at the other end, but there will be times I don’t need them. Usually I put them on top of my head, but then they snag in my hair. Hmmm, more thought needed…
Hi Annabel,
I’m choosing NOT to wear my glasses on our wedding day. While FI loves them, he often tells me the first thing he noticed about me was my bum and the second my glasses, I feel less pretty wearing them. I wear them all day every day….occasionally if we’re going to dinner or I’m going out dancing with girls I will take them off.
I am however doing boudoir photos for FI’s surprise wedding gift and I plan to wear them in a few of those photos!
Thank you for this post about brides with eyewear. Yesterday I have just heard I can’t wear contact lenses anymore. Ever again there is a big risk of an infection which can me blind in the worst case scenario. That is a lot to take in. Next year I am getting married. The first thing I asked the eye doctor was if I could wear just lenses for my wedding day. As a doctor he cannot promote that but if I decide to do that I have to use eyedrops so often that I need to carry with them the whole day…Anyway: no contact lenses for me. This post is truly inspirational. I love the looks of the brides. I hope I will look so beautiful with my glasses on my wedding day as these brides.
I realize that for some people they may not have an option, but as a photographer, I cannot imagine anyone with a choice choosing to wear glasses on their wedding day. I myself have to wear glasses all the time except when I am wearing contacts, but I absolutely hate the way they hide eyes in life and in photographs. I am a photographer and there is no way to get a good view of the eyes in every photo when someone is wearing glasses, especially when candids are taken, like on a wedding day. The rim often falls down over the lids and there is often glare, even if it is the special lenses that are not supposed to have glare, it is just a dimmed green reflection. I love to see the beauty of the human face unobstructed by frames and glass/plastic. These are just my feelings on the subject and I realize many will disagree.
I’m glad I came by this post. I was stressing over my future and weddings and all that because of my glasses. I honestly feel so ugly without them and they’re definitely a part of me as you mentioned. What you said about how glasses aren’t the focal point is totally right, I definitely needed that! Also about how the influence from society as well. Thanks so much xx
Thank-you so much for this article! I had a disasterous appointment at Specsavers this morning – I went in to trial contact lenses for the first time because I want to be able to see my husband to be at the end of the aisle without having to ‘ruin my wedding look’ with glasses. I could not even pull my eye lid back as my reflex is so strong. Nothing was getting my eyes! Anyway, your article and the pictures of beautiful brides wearing their glasses has really cheered me up and has inspired me to treat myself to some new glasses for my wedding. i am actually really excited now about shopping for bridal eyewear!! So thank you 🙂
You are so very welcome Natanya, I’m so delighted this feature has provided you with some confidence and inspiration – I hope you have the most wonderful wedding without a worry in the world, glasses or no glasses 🙂
Love Annabel xXx
I hadn’t really considered wearing my glasses till I saw a pic of a beautiful bride wearing her’s today. So I went googling and now am fairly convinced that I will. I get irritated eyes after more than ten hours with contacts in, and eye drops will probably wreck my make-up. I wear my glasses every day, so they’re a huge part of me. 🙂
I feel so reassured after reading your brilliant article and all the wonderful comments. I’ve worn glasses since I was 6 and can’t ever imagine not wearing them on my wedding day- my fiancé is very supportive and says I don’t look like ‘me’ without them so he wants me to wear them. But others have reacted quite negatively to me wearing them! I’m now on a mission to find the perfect pair and get them super thin with anti-reflective, wedding in 12months 🙂
Thanks again for the encouraging words. X
I wore my glasses on our wedding day a couple months ago. It was never an option not too, I always wear specs, can’t wear contact lenses, but wouldn’t have even if i could. Thankfully no one hinted that specs might ‘spoil my look’ else they’d have got quite a short shrift from me…those that asked if I’d be wearing contact lenses instead were just told nope, when do I ever wear them? Why would I change quite an integral part of my appearance to meet some odd weddingy social convention? (And I’ve nothing against conventional weddings and traditional wedsings as we had one!) But why anyone would think it’s ok to make out that specs wear is a negative thing on your wedding day is just beyond me! it seems to fall into the list of must haves/can’t do’s but specs wearers, if you normally wear your glasses and are happy to do so, then go for it, speccy brides are beautiful too!
Bravo Kirsty! Thank you so much for your comment, I hope it serves to encourage others.
Love Annabel x
Thank you so much for this post. I love wearing my glasses but decided not to for my wedding day – I got some contacts but have had a disaster as it turns out I’m allergic to them, and I’ve had a severe anaphylactic reaction around my eyes which has kept me off work. I could try different contacts but this has been such a horrible experience that I don’t want to go through it again or risk this happening the day after my wedding. So I’m leaning towards wearing glasses (and treating myself to a new pair that match my dress), but everyone else seems horrified by this idea!! Not my OH, he just wants me to be comfortable and doesn’t want me to be unwell again, but I’m quite surprised how many people think you just CAN’T wear glasses on your wedding day….
Hi Lisa, we absolutely love it when a bride wears her glasses on her wedding day. Our very own beautiful writer Shona wore her glasses on her wedding day. You can see Shona’s wedding at https://www.lovemydress.net/blog/2014/02/ian-stuart-bilbo-baggins-brambly-hedge-northumberland-wedding.html and for lots of other inspiration for lovely ladies choosing to wear their glasses on their wedding day you can have a look at our dedicated Pinterest board of Brides in Glasses – https://www.pinterest.co.uk/lovemydressblog/brides-in-glasses/